Pneumatic suspension device for vehicle-bodies.



PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

O. W. BELL. PNEUMATIO SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE BODIES. I

APPLICATION FILED FBB.12.1906.

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No. 876,426. PATENTED JAN. 1,4', 1908.

G. vW. BELL.

PNEUMATIG SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE BODIES. APPLICATION FILED PEB.12.1906.

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GEORGE WILLIAM BELL, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSIONDEVICE FOR VEHICLE-BODIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application led February l2, 1906x Serial No. 300.559.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WILLIAM BELL, a subject of the King oi Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented brations due to travel on ordinary roads permits of dispensing altogether with the use of pneumatically tired wheels, all as more fully hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the device half in elevation and half in vertical section 5 Fig. 2, shows it in side elevation Fig. 3, is a horizontal sece tion on a smaller scale on the plane of the axis of the supporting wheels, Fig. 4l, is a vertical section in the plane of the axis of the wheels, Fig. 5, is a top plan view being like Figs. 3 and 4 on a smaller scale, Fig. 6, is a diagram plan view of an automobile body provided with my devices.

In the drawings, A represents the axles, B the wheels C the drive spindles journaled in the rear axle and carrying the rear wheels and D the 'frame of the body of an automobile of known construction except as to the pneumatic suspension devices of the body which form the subject matter of this invention and take the place of the usual springs.

In the usual manner oi" supporting the body at four points upon the axles there will be four of these devices, but their construction is the same and the following description of one applies to each:

My pneumatic device consists essentially nof a hollow piston E secured upon the axle in vertical position and of a cylinder F carried by the .frame of the body and in which the piston works and carries the load upon an air spring Jformed by means of compressed air supplied into the upper end of the cylinder through a supply pipe g entering into the top of the cylinder.

The piston is provided about midway of its length with a transverse aperture of sui'licient size for the axle to pass through it, andat each end of this aperture it is formed with extension c which form the halves oi two clamping boxes, the other halves a of which are Aformed by separate half boxes, all so arranged that by means oi clamping bolts c the piston is irmly clamped in position upon the axle.

The passage in the piston through which the axle passes is separated from the interior space of the piston by an interior wall d, and this interior space communicates with the air chamber c on top of the piston through an opening f in the head of the piston which is also provided with a cup leather g and piston rings or other suitable means for making it more air tight in the cylinder.

The cylinder is of suitable length to inclose the whole piston and it forms in addition to the air chamber e on top another air chamber 7L at the bottom, the latter being provided with a small air port i which is controlled by the piston. For convenience in mounting, the cylinder is cast in halves bolted together by bolts j passing through suitable flanges on the halves and openings 7c oi suitable size are formed in the sides of the cylinder for the free passage therethrough of the clamping boxes within the limit of movement of the piston.

The cylinder is supported in position by means of a pedestal H which is secured to the frame of the body in any suitable manner and carries the cylinder by means of a bolt I passing longitudinally through corresponding ears m n formed respectively at the lower ends of the pedestal and cylinder in the longitudinal vertical plane of the cylinder.

The pedestal is preferably bifurcated at its lower portion to a height above the axle and the bifurcations are provided with vertical flanges o which form vertical guides between which the outer one of the clamping boxes project and is guided thereby in its vertical play. The pedestal is of rounded shape in cross section and partly surrounds the cylinder as an outer protection, on top it is formed with a horizontal base plate p and upon the underside thereof are formed two parallel guide 'flanges g adapted to receive a guide lug fr provided on the upper end of the cylinder and held between. two springs s s pressing against opposite sides and tending to hold the cylinder in its normal position a ainst movement due to vibration of' the axle in the direction of its axis.

The bolt I is preferably made to operate as a stay bolt to unite the bifurcated ends of the pedestal together and the Vtwo pedestals on the opposite ends of each axle are preferably united by a stay rod K which suitably engages at the ends with the bolts l.

It will be understood that the function of the piston and cylinder is to forni an air cushion on the top of the piston adapted to support the load thereon under all conditions of the road. In the static condition ot the vehicle the piston would be in its lowerinost position with the port/i, closed, and to maintain this static position, l. provide suitable devices on the vehiclecomprising an air con'ipressor 1 a compressed air reservoir J and suitable air distributing pipes g leading to the air cushions to provide air of suitable pressurenlto each cylinder adapted to maintain each piston in a prescribed static position, all of which is well known in connection with devices of this character. The lower air chai'nber in the cylinder acts merely as a d ash. pot and check spring combined.

To prevent the cylinder Vfrom binding upon the piston, the piston is guided in its yvertical movement by the engagement ol the outer one of the Vclamping boxes between the vertical guide llanges o ol the pedestal, the cylinder adjusting itself by having a limited play upon the rod l. and between the parallel guides g at the upper end.

l/Vhat l claim as my invention is: l. The combination with the vehicle body and a supporting axle, of a piston provided intermediate its ends with clamping Vboxes onropposite sides thereof securing the saine in vertical position upon the axle, an inclosing cylinder forming air cl'iambers at opposite ends ol' the piston and having opei'iings in its sides for the clamping boxes to permit a relative movement between the cylinder and piston, a pedestal depending from the underside of the vehicle body, su p porting connection between the lower end ot' the pedestal and the cylinder, and means for supplying the air chamber above the piston with compressed air.

2. The combination with the vehicle body and a supporting axle, of a pedestal secured to the underside of the body and having a bifurcated lower portion embracing the axle, a piston secured upon the axle adjacent to the pedestal and extending partly above and partly below the axle, a cylinder in which said piston works and forms air chambers in the opposite ends of the cylinder, the air chamber above provided with means for supplying the same with air under pressure, and a connection pivotally securing the cylinder at its lower end to the pedestal free to adjust itself to any lateral movement of the piston,

' 3. The combination with the vehicle body and a supporting axle, of a piston carried by the axle and extending vertically partly above and partly below the same, Va cylinder in. which said piston freely works and forms air chambers in the opposite ends of the cylinder, a pedestal depending from the underside ol the vehicle body adjacent to the cylinder and to which said cylinder is pivotally connected at its lower end free to swing Vwith its upper end in the vertical plane of the axle,

springs bearing against the upper end ot the cylinder and adapted to maintain the saine in its normal position, andrmeans lor supplying the air chamber above the piston with air under pressure.

4. The combination with the vehicle body and a supporting axle, of a piston provided intermediate its ends with laterally extend# ing clamping boxes securing the piston upon the axle in vertical position, an inclosing cylinder forming air chambers above and below the piston, the one above provided with means lor supplying it with air under pressure for supporting the load thereon, a pedestal depending from the underside of the body adjacent to the cylinder and having its lower portion bifu'rcated and straddling the axle, a bolt passing through th e lower end of the cylinder and pivotall'y securing it between the bifurcated ends of the pedestal, vertical guide 'flanges on the pedestal coperating with the clamping box on the adjacent side of the piston to vertically guide the same, parallel guide ilanges on the upper end ot the pedestal for guiding the upper end ol the cylinder and springs pressing against the upper endV olE the cylinder on opposite sides thereof. j

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE lVll'iLlAM BELL.

litnesses OTTO F. BARTHEL, GORDON C. BENNETT. 

